Interference
by SLynn
Summary: Takes place after my two previous Firefly stories Infectious and Interrupted. A pre-series story. After things don't exactly work out between Zoe and Wash, Wash is ready to call it quits, only to be needed for one last job.
1. Back to Before

**Interference by SLynn**

**Disclaimer:** Thankfully Ivan left my possessions intact. However Firefly and crew was not among them.

**Notes: **The long over due follow up to Infectious/Interrupted. If you haven't read those, please go do so because none of this will make sense if you don't and I like people to read what I write! Still takes place before the series begins. Still going to be a Wash/Zoë fic no matter what you think after reading this first chapter.

Also, finally getting to watch a lot of the episodes I missed, my timeline is **way** off. This is either assuming that timelines don't matter, or Inara hadn't been on the ship much more then two months before the event in Infectious. My bad.

**Chapter 1: Back to Before**

_If there be sorrow_

_let it be_

_for things undone ..._

_undreamed_

_unrealized_

_unattained_

_to these add one:_

_Love withheld ..._

... _restrained_

_**Mari Evans (If There Be Sorrow)**_

Mal had to admit that they were handling it well.

It had been well over three weeks since Zoë had told him that Wash and her were over. She'd said he didn't have to be worried about them being short with each other or otherwise causing problems now that it had ended. Mal had even offered to get a new pilot, but she said there'd be no reason too. They could still work together without problem.

And they did. Just as good as before. Maybe even better.

That might be a stretch. They didn't so much work together as work in silence. Mal had been worried, real worried that if things had gone sour between the two of them they'd be screaming and hollering too much to mind their jobs but it hadn't been that way. They had both remained professional which was to be expected regarding Zoë, but had surprised him a great deal considering Wash.

Whatever had happened he was just relieved it was now at an end. It had been gotten out of their systems and was thankfully over. They could all move on now with no harm done.

"Cap'n," Kaylee called from the doorway interrupting his thoughts, "Wash says we're fixing to land. We picking up passengers?"

Shuttling passengers was new for Serenity. They'd gotten desperate for a job about a month back and Kaylee had first brought up the idea. Mal had doubted it, seeing as most folks who could pay to travel didn't need to be riding on a Firefly, but Kaylee persisted and had done a damn good job bringing them in. The girl not only had a knack for engines, she could also sweet talk just about anyone.

"Not this time," Mal answered choosing to ignore the hurt look in her eyes. Kaylee loved picking up passengers.

"Okay," she sighed, trying hard to now sound too disappointed.

"We'll see how the job goes. Maybe you'll get lucky and it'll be a bust. We may have to take on a few just to make ends meet."

Kaylee nodded in agreement and left it at that.

* * *

"Hey Wash," Kaylee said startling him a bit as she entered the bridge.

"Hush. I'm flying. I could've killed us all."

She let out a snort and could tell, even though she only saw the back of his head that he was smiling.

"You could probably land Serenity blindfolded."

"I don't think Mal would like that."

"Besides there's nothing here to crash into."

"Not now, but fifteen minutes ago there was. Besides, you never know," Wash said, still not facing her. Truth was he really did have to concentrate on this. He'd sat still too long again. Ever since Medea his back had been killing him and everything he did seemed to aggravate it more. Sitting, standing, eating, sleeping, it all hurt now. A small voice in his head was whispered that maybe it wasn't _just_ his back causing the pain, but he ignored it. He was getting good at ignoring that voice.

And aside from the pain, getting onto Circe wasn't exactly easy. Circe wasn't very populated for several reasons. One, getting there _was_ a challenge. Circe was just left of an asteroid belt. A rather unstable one. Navigating it was tricking, but not impossible. It came down to timing. Two, aside from the asteroid belt there was its sun. Circe's sun also had a reputation for being rather unstable. It was continuously emitting flares, huge stop your ship dead in its tracks flares, but that too was a timing thing. But the third and probably biggest reason for most was no one wanted to be so close to the reavers and this was undoubtedly their territory. They only thing keeping reavers off of Circe's were reasons one and two, and for most people that just wasn't enough.

Kaylee had come and leaned against the counsel beside him.

"You ever been here before?" she asked.

"Twice. I think we'd just left Helios before you joined up."

The port city of Helios was just coming into view. Helios was the largest city on the planet Circe and it was prosperous. Circe was the only planet on the fringes, this close to the wild, but somehow it always had supplies, always had work and always had lots of people.

Wash reached across the panel to fine tune the left-rear thruster and a wave of pain shot up his side. Grimacing, but trying hard to conceal his obvious discomfort from Kaylee, he sat back down.

"You okay?"

"I'm fine," he said flatly.

Kaylee said nothing. She knew it was a sore subject in more ways then one. Wash's back had gotten bad but for the most part he masked it well. She doubted that anyone outside of Zoë or herself even knew it was a problem for him. Wash joked about a lot of things, even whined about the trivial just because it was, but he would not complain.

Kaylee bounced from foot to foot knowing she should say something but not wanting too. It wasn't the time but she also felt that time was running out. She also knew she should probably be in the engine room right now, they were fixing to land after all, but she couldn't bring herself to leave. She watched Wash as he concentrated on his job, trying to read his expression.

"Do I have something on my face?" he asked with a smile, not taking his eyes off of the display.

Kaylee smiled a bit and shook her head.

"Well what is it?" he laughed, "You're staring at me like you're expecting me to disappear or something."

Kaylee didn't say anything to that. It wasn't funny. Truth is that was exactly what she was expecting.

"We're landing in five," Wash said into the comm before turning to her briefly and asking again, this time more seriously what was wrong.

Kaylee quickly looked over her shoulder, ensuring they were alone, and then back to him.

"I know you're looking. I know you've been looking for a while. And while I can't possibly know how hurt you are, because you won't tell me, I wish you'd stop looking and stay."

Wash turned away from her, glad to focus on the task at hand. He said nothing.

"Have you found something yet?" she asked.

"I'm not looking for a job Kaylee," he said quietly, still refusing to look back at her.

She didn't believe it.

"Then what are you doing?" her voice had risen a bit in volume and they both quickly checked over their shoulders to ensure no one was listening.

"Every town we land in the last week you take off as soon as you can and don't come back until we're ready to leave," Kaylee continued lowering her voice to near conspiratorial levels, "And I can't be the only one that's noticed."

"I'm not looking for a job Kaylee," he repeated, attempting to shrug it off.

"You're just going to leave us stranded one day, aren't you? Take a new job and never look back," she somewhat accused.

"No," he said finally turning to her, "Never. I wouldn't do that."

"Then what?"

"I'm looking for a replacement, okay? I've been out looking for someone to take over for me," he finally admitted somewhat resigned, "I just can't do this anymore." 

"That's even worse!"

"Kaylee," Wash said sharply, this time positive someone would hear, "please, could you keep it down some. I'm going to tell Mal as soon as I've found some one right for the job."

"Oh and he's going to take _that_ well."

"Well, it'll be up to him if he hires the new guy or not, but at least I'll have done my part and not have stranded Serenity without a pilot," Wash said as he began descent into their assigned terminal.

"So you're serious?"

"Don't know what else I can do," he said focusing once more on the task at hand.

Kaylee'd never heard him sound so sad before. She didn't have the particulars, the whys and what's of Wash's and Zoë's relationship together, just that it had ended badly.

She left the helm as quick and she could and made her way to the engines. She didn't want Wash leaving but she didn't want him miserable either. Given her choice she'd have the two of them back together.

Checking over the usual gauges, mentally noting that the left thrusters were running hot again, she sat down on her hammock and vowed to herself to do everything she could to bring them back together. It was where they belonged, whether they could tell it or not.

* * *

Wash absentmindedly went through the post-landing checklist. He'd done it so often it was like second nature. He'd barely even registered Inara as she confirmed her shuttles departure and arrival times. She had customers here and would meet back with them late three days from now before they'd departed. He just couldn't focus on that now. Kaylee'd managed to unnerve him.

He didn't think he was being that transparent.

Checking the panels once more, he shut down Serenity. He knew he was expected in the cargo hold, Mal always liked to give little 'lay-low' talks whenever they landed, especially if their next job happened to be less then legal. And this next one was.

Not that he'd have much to do during it. Kaylee and him weren't going to be involved, weren't even leaving Circe. They'd planned to so some minor repairs but that was it.

Wash got up and headed for the cargo bay and was glad to see he was the last one there. He planned it that way so he didn't have to small talk with anyone. He wasn't in the mood.

"Okay," Mal said seeing they'd finally all arrived, "Zoe and I are heading out to meet our contact. I don't want anyone leaving the area until we get back. We don't know yet what this guy wants or even if we'll be accommodating him, so just hang tight till then."

Jayne made his way over to the cargo hold to open up Serenity's main doors. Kaylee joined him, cheerful as ever, wanting to catch a glimpse of this new place. Wash, trying to make a quick escape back to the helm, didn't.

"Got a second," Zoe said effectively stopping him.

"Sure," he replied wheeling round but not really looking at her so much as in her general direction, "What do you need?"

"Just to talk. You and I still have..."  
  
"Zoe," Mal called from across the bay, "Ready?"

"One second," she hollered back.

Wash stood before her now determined to meet her gaze. She read it well. Knew his looks and moods probably better then he did himself.

"Later then?" she asked, equally determined that they would have this out.

He just nodded and she walked away just as Kaylee strolled up.

"You talk to her?" he asked, still watching Zoe go.

"No," she answered, "don't imagine I'd have too."

Wash looked down at her and she shrugged. It was true. If Kaylee had seen that far into his plans, Zoe had too.

There was no escaping her insight.


	2. A Fool's Errand

**Interference by SLynn **

**Chapter 2: A Fool's Errand**

Mal and Zoe entered what looked like a cross between a tea house and a junk shop. Shelves full of kettles and cups and all kinds of junk, most of which Mal thought with a smile Kaylee'd be wild for.

A small bell rang them inside.

"Hello," said a thin, balding man, half there size. "Interested in a purchase?"

"No thanks," Mal said still looking about him thinking this had to be the oddest meeting place he'd been too yet. "We're just looking."  
  
The man nodded once and began dusting the shelves behind him.

"Are you sure this it?" Zoe asked, saying exactly what Mal had been thinking.

"This is where the wave said."

Zoe picked up a cup, imitation porcelain, shaped to resemble a lettuce leaf and raised an eyebrow at him.

"We need this job," was all Mal said as he too began to look around.

"Miss," the man said coming up to Zoe, "you look like you need a cozy."  
  
"Excuse me?" Zoe asked, somewhat taken back.

"A cozy," he said again, smiling holding what looked like a knitted green and purple rag. "For your kettle at home. It'll help you keep the tea warm for your husband." He had indicated Mal at the end, causing the captain to smile and fight down a laugh.

"No," she answered with as much good humor as she could, "I don't have a kettle. Or a husband."

"Oh," the man said, "Oh. I see. Are you sure there isn't anything I could do for either of you?"  
  
"Well," Mal said, the amusement gone from his face, "don't suppose anyone was here earlier looking for us, where they?"  
  
"And you are?"

"Malcolm Reynolds. Maybe they left a note or directions?"

"Captain Reynolds?" he asked and then smiled broadly, "Why didn't you say so. I'm Edmund. You answered my wave two weeks back."  
  
"Your wave?" Mal said in disbelief.

"Yes, yes," he continued, growing more excited, "Come into the back. We have lots to talk about."

* * *

It wasn't more then two hours before Mal and Zoe had returned and gathered everyone into the common area.

Edmund was a tradesman. About three months ago a freighter ship carrying some of his latest finds had crashed. Unable to find anyone locally willing to retrieve his goods, Edmund had chanced onto a man who had recommended Mal to him.

All Edmund wanted from them was his cargo, everything else was up for grabs. On top of that, he was willing to pay 5000 credits for the retrieval.

"Sounds fishy," Jayne said upon hearing it all, "Five thousand credits for what, a tea kettle and some cups?"

"That's what I said," Mal admitted, "until he mentioned that they were real."  
  
"Real what?" Jayne asked not following.

"_Real_, real?" Wash asked, growing more interested, "Like Earth real?"  
  
"That's what he says," Mal nodded.

"So it would be worth, what?" Jayne asked with a glint in his eyes.

"What do you think?" Mal asked Wash. One thing Mal knew he knew, aside from flying, was artifacts from Earth that was. It was one of his quirks, like the dinosaur thing.

"Depends on what it is," Wash said thinking out loud, "If it's real china there's no telling how much it could get. Even plastic, if you could prove it, would be worth more the five thousand."

"So we go get this stuff and sell it, right?" Jayne asked smiling.

"No," Mal said, "we go get this stuff and return it. Anything else we happen on, we sell."  
  
"Come on," Jayne said in a near whine.

Mal let his silence on the subject be his answer.

"So, where is it?" Kaylee asked after a moment's pause.

"That's the problem," Zoe put in, "it's on Perseis."  
  
Wash actually laughed, surprising them all.

"Where it will probably stay for till the end of time."  
  
"You don't think you could fly there?" Mal asked somewhat challengingly.

"No I don't," Wash said shaking his head and treating it like the joke he knew it was, "because I'm not suicidal."  
  
"What's wrong with Perseis?" Kaylee asked not understanding what was going on.

"It's Circe's moon," Zoe answered.

"That's falling apart," Wash continued.

"Not all of it," Mal put in.

"Enough of it. Besides which, it's nearly a part of the asteroid field. You'd have to be insane to try it."

"It's good money," Zoe added.

"Not good enough," Wash countered. "It's crazy."  
  
"We've done crazy before," Mal said still trying to convince him. Wash would have to be on board for this if they were to do it. There was no doubt he'd have to pilot them in.

"But never on this grand of a scale."  
  
Kaylee was growing nervous. Wash obviously felt strongly that this wasn't safe.

"Mal," Wash continued, "Did you really think this through? Let's forget for a moment that at this very moment Perseis could be joining the asteroid belt permanently, let's even forget the asteroid belt. The sun in this system isn't stable. We could get there and it could flair and we'd be stuck. And you know what's on the other side of that belt, right?"

The room grew silent for a moment. They all knew what was on the other side of that belt. Reavers.

"So, what are you saying Wash, that you're not going to fly?"

Mal's voice had been stone cold and the whole room was waiting for his answer.

"No Mal," he said firmly, "I'm not."

Mal nodded once, his lips tightly pressed and left the room. Zoe followed soon after, leaving Kaylee, Jayne and Wash alone in silence.

"Man," Jayne said with a chuckle as he got up, "I sure hope you like it here."

* * *

"What in the hell is wrong with you?" was the question he got from Zoe half an hour later as she burst in on him in his bunk.

"Come on in," was all he replied.

"Really, what's was that?"  
  
"That was me being the only one thinking straight," he snapped back.

"Wash, we all need this job. If you haven't noticed we're almost out of food, we're almost out of ammo and Kaylee's got a list of parts needed just to keep us afloat that's a page an a half long. We don't have a choice here."

"There's always a choice."

Something about the way he said it made her suspect he wasn't talking about the same thing she was.

"What's that suppose to mean?"  
  
"Nothing. It means nothing."

"No. I know we've been needing to talk for some time now, but really, is this necessary."

"Oh, now you want to talk." he said sarcastically.  
  
"Why are you acting like this? Is it just this job, because you've flown in worse conditions then this."  
  
"I don't think I've ever flown in conditions quite like this."

Now she knew he wasn't just talking about this job.

"I thought that you were better then this," she said in a lower voice, sounding disappointed as she left.

Wash stood still for a moment or two after she left, just staring at the exit, feeling she was right.

"Damn it," he muttered as he made his way up after her.

* * *

Mal was alone in the shuttle when Wash found him going over star charts.

"Not now Wash," was all he said.

"Alright, but when are we going to talk about how to get this cargo?"

Mal looked up at him somewhat surprised.

"I've been thinking it over," Wash said sitting down beside him. "Serenity's too big to make it, but we shouldn't leave her here. There's been some ships jacked in this area and it's not worth the risk."

Mal nodded in agreement.

"So," Wash continued, "I was thinking we fly her to the far side, closest to the moon, and take the shuttle up. Shuttle's easier to maneuver and has enough space to hold whatever we take back."

"So you, me and Zoe head up..."  
  
"I was actually thinking you, me and Jayne," Wash interrupted.

"How's that?"

"Well," Wash said with as much forced ease as he could manage, "in case that sun does flare, we're going to need someone to get in touch with Inara and fly her shuttle up after us. I figured Zoe's the only one who could handle that."

Mal nodded, not so much in agreement, but in understanding. The problem he didn't think he had onboard, he still obviously did. Wash and Zoe couldn't work together like before, no matter how much he wished it otherwise.

"I'll work out the details," Mal said simply, "you just worry about getting us there and back."  
  
"When do we leave?"

"A few hours."

Wash nodded but didn't leave.

"Is there something else?" Mal asked, knowing he probably shouldn't have.

"Yeah there is," Wash started but abruptly stopped.

"Are you going to tell me?"

Wash took in a deep breath.

"After this job I'm leaving Mal. I'll stay on as long as you need me, but I can't..."  
  
Mal nodded. He'd hadn't really expected it, but wasn't really surprised. He hated to lose him. Wash was a damn good pilot and a good person. Mal considered him a friend. He wanted to tell him this, but it just didn't seem like the time. And it wasn't his way.

"If that's what you have to do," is what he said instead.


	3. Change in Plans

**Interference by SLynn**

**Chapter 3: Change in Plans**

Wash sat in serious contemplation of the task before him. He'd gotten them this far, to the spot they'd leave Serenity at, but now he had to plot out the rest of the course. They'd leave soon and he still didn't feel comfortable with the plan. He'd have to fly them in close to the crash site, coordinates which had been entered into the computer. Close enough for walking, which had to be done in pressure suits since Perseis had no atmosphere to speak of. Looking over the schematics for the umpteenth time, he thought it was possible, but there would be no telling until they got there.

"Were you going to tell me?"

Wash didn't bother turning around. By the tone in her voice he knew what she meant.

"Well?" she persisted.

"I didn't know I had too," was his answer.

"Damn it Wash," Zoe said in frustration, coming around to make him face her. "What is your problem? I thought we'd be okay with this. I knew it would take some time, but..."  
  
Wash said nothing. He didn't know what he should say and he had no defense.

"You're right, I should have..."  
  
"Yes. You should have," she cut in, "First that little episode in the common and now this?"

"I wanted to..."  
  
"What? Protect me?"

"No," he said reflexively, not fully understanding her meaning. "I'm leaving because I just have too."

"I don't need you..." she started and then stopped.

"You're leaving?" she asked.

"That wasn't what we were talking about, was it?" he asked in turn.

"I'll come back later," Kaylee squeaked from the doorway. Neither had given much notice to her sudden arrival or departure.

"No," she said stone still.  
  
"I was going to tell you."  
  
"And now you have."

Wash ran his hand through the hair on the nape of his neck, not sure what else he should be doing.

"Zoe," he said as steadily as he could, "I wanted to tell you. I wanted to tell you so many things and I, we just don't seem to know how to talk to each other anymore."

"So you're just going to run away?"

"I'm not running from anything," he answered defiantly.

"That's all you've ever done," she said shaking her head. She knew she was pushing him, knew that she was speaking half-truths, but she also knew that sometimes it was the only way to reach him.

"This coming from you?" he shot back, fire in his eyes. "I tried Zoe. I did. You know that's the truth. You're the one who ran from me. From us."

"You stopped talking to me, stopped being with me, and I ran?" she retorted her voice growing stronger and rising.

"Yes," was all he said. He didn't want to be talking about this. Talking about it hurt. Thinking about it hurt. This was why he was leaving. Wash clenched his hands uncontrollably over and over, trying to fight down what was rising up inside him.

"I ran?" she asked again, not believing her ears. She known what she was doing in provoking him earlier, known that they needed to get to the bottom of this. But she had no idea now what he was getting at. He had been the one to end it. She'd never said or did anything that justified this.

"Yes," he said again growing more agitated, "you ran from me. Maybe not with words or with actions, but you ran."  
  
She shook her head in disbelief at him.

"Don't," he countered, "I'm right. I saw that look on your face."  
  
"What are you talking about?"

"That look. I told you..." he stopped. He knew he needed to calm down, but couldn't. "I said... "

Wash abruptly stopped and turned away, pacing and rubbing his forehead. Zoe didn't know what to say. She'd never seen him like this and it was unnerving.

"That night..." he began again, but just couldn't continue. It still hurt so much.

Zoe understood now.

One night, just before it ended, before he'd changed, they'd been out together having a drink or two after a job. It was just them and it had been going great. Then, maybe he'd had too much, maybe she had too, but he'd started talking about the future. Their future. And it wasn't one she could see herself in.

And he knew it.

Just looking at her, he knew it. They'd left shortly afterwards and hadn't brought it up since. A few days later, he'd said they should probably give each other some space, and she'd agreed. She'd really thought that they'd be alright. Now here it was, nearly a month passed and they barely spoke.

"Wash," she said without really knowing what to say next.

"I can't,' he finished. "I can't stay here and pretend to feel nothing."  
  
"No one said you had to do that."

"You didn't have to say it."

For a moment she just looked at him and wanted nothing more then to take it all back, but the moment was quickly over.

"What the hell?" Mal asked from the doorway, unaware of what he was interrupting. "I sent Kaylee up here ten minutes ago looking for the two of you. We've had a change in plans."

* * *

It wasn't that bad, but it wasn't good either.

For years to come Jayne would claim that he'd done it fighting off three men in a bar, or wrestling a sumo champion, once he'd even told how it had happened rescuing orphans from a house fire.

The truth was, in the middle of nowhere with nothing happening, Jayne had been taking a stroll around Serenity and stepped in a hole twisting his ankle.

No one really blamed him for embellishing. It was a pointless way to hurt yourself. An accident.

And it put him in a foul temper.

Zoe and Wash, as they made their way down the catwalk towards the med hold, heard his cussing a ways off. Mal got straight to the point. There was no way Jayne could go on this job. No way. He needed to be off his feet for at least a week and the job couldn't wait.

The short of it was that Zoe was coming.

An hour ago it was exactly what she'd wanted. She hated being left behind, even out of necessity. Zoe liked to be doing things, not waiting for things to be done. Now, she felt differently. They'd likely be gone a day, and it was a day too long in her opinion.

But she hadn't disagreed. She'd go. No questions asked.

She saw that Wash had resigned himself as well.

There was no other choice.

* * *

The shuttle was quiet.

Mal, never one for small talk, seemed even less inclined today. Zoe was still thinking over everything she and Wash had gone through earlier, and it wasn't easy. Wash was the only one with an actual excuse, as he actual had a job at the moment. Flying the shuttle. And it wasn't easy.

The asteroid belt was thickest near Perseis which made sense as it was the reason the moon was falling apart.

It took little over an hour to navigate and another twenty minutes to actually locate the wreckage. Once there, landing was easy.

"Okay," Mal said finally breaking the silence. "Let's get suited up and find this thing."

Again there was silence.

They knew who the crate they were looking for would be addressed to. They also knew that it would be about two feet squared. Other then that, they had nothing else to go on.

Mal had explained to them that they'd first go through each crate matching the description to find what they were after. They had a limited supply of oxygen and there was no use wasting it. If the crate they happened to open in search of Edmund's goods was valuable, then they'd keep it. Otherwise, they were to move on. All three were wired and all three went in separate directions.

Up until this point, Wash had never thought about the physical aspect of the job. Granted, the gravity here wasn't as strong, but lifting still required effort. And that effort was starting to take its toll.

It all came back to Medea. The spot on his back where that parasite had dug in, that Zoe had literally dug out, burned. Wash continued on, refusing to give in, to admit that it might be too much for him, mostly out of spite. Spite and the fact that he didn't want to appear weak. That little voice in his head whispered to him every so often that that was the reason Zoe'd never love him. Because he was weak.

So he continued on despite the pain.

"I've got it," crackled in his ear from the headset. It was Zoe.

Slowly, he made his way to her. Mal had already made. The three of them looked down at the box.

"Good job," Mal said, patting her once on the back. "Let's get it back to the shuttle then find us some things."  
  
"I've got it," Wash said, leaning down to retrieve their find.

"I'll help," Zoe put in.

"I said I've got it," he snapped without meaning too.

"Suit yourself," she said, backing off.

Wash leaned in to pick it up and found that he couldn't. His body just wouldn't let him. Years later, he'd love to be telling the stories the same way Jayne was about his ankle, but he couldn't. Jayne's had been done on accident, his had just been stupidity.

Zoe had almost walked away when she'd heard him gasp.

"What's wrong?" she asked hurriedly turning towards him.

She saw him doubled over, unmoving but still on his feet.

"My back," he said haltingly.

"Why didn't you say it was still bothering you?" she asked angrily.

"Now's not the time," he answered sounding strained.

"What's wrong with your back?" Mal asked, joining them after hearing the exchange on the headset.

"Nothing," Wash lied rather poorly.

Mal cursed loudly in Chinese.

"Why didn't I know about this?" he asked to no one in particular.

"Because he's a jackass sir."

"That's cute," Wash said still unable to move, "but do you think one of you could help me up here?"


	4. Falling

**Interference by SLynn**

**Chapter 4: Falling**

It took a few minutes, but between the two of them, they got Wash back to the shuttle. With really no where else to put him, they'd helped him out of his gear and onto the floor. Clearly unhappy, but also unwilling to stop, Mal stayed just long enough to make sure he wasn't seriously hurt and then left without another word.

"Are you alright?" Zoe asked as soon as they were alone again.

"It's fine. It's just a spasm. It'll be over soon."

She didn't believe him. Truth was Wash never lied well. He'd said it all through gritted teeth.

"How long have you been having them?"

"Not long. Not often."

She shook her head.

"Wash," she said, "you have got to be the most hard headed man I've ever met."

He would have taken offense if she hadn't smiled slightly as she'd said it.

"Just pretend to believe me."

"Fine," she said no longer smiling. "Take this."

She'd handed him two pills which he downed.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Muscle relaxers. Should help pretty quickly."

"Thanks," he said shutting his eyes and trying to relax.

"I'm going to help the captain with the rest of the stuff. Just don't get up."

She'd left without saying anymore and Wash couldn't have felt worse. Yes, he'd been down before but this was bad. This was just plain embarrassing. But Wash didn't have much time to mull it over. Zoe and Mal hadn't been gone for more then fifteen to twenty minutes when he heard a low rumble.

Wash's eyes snapped open. He couldn't be positive if he'd imagined it or not. He'd thought he'd heard it, even thought he'd felt it, but that couldn't be. Likely it was the drugs.

Wash shut his eyes again slowly, certain he'd dreamed it, when it happened again. Louder and stronger then before.

Before he could even try to get up, Mal and Zoe rushed through the airlock.

"We've got to go," Mal said his voice full of urgency not normally heard, "Now."

Wash managed to get into a partial sitting position, shaking his head which now felt as if it was entirely stuffed with cotton.

Zoe was already starting up the shuttle.

"What's going on?"

No one answered him. Both Zoe and Mal were too busy preparing to leave.

"What's going on?" Wash asked louder, trying still to get to his feet.

Mal obliged, grapping him by the arm and helping him up.

"Wash," he said, his voice still full of urgency, "looks like I owe you an apology."

He was confused. It was probably just the drugs, but he just couldn't follow what was happening around him. Zoe and Mal weren't making sense and he couldn't figure where all that noise was coming from.

"You were right. This moon is falling apart."

Wash stared at him blankly thinking that it had to be a dream. Okay, not a good dream, but still. This couldn't be happening.

"Wash?" Mal questioned.

Wash absentmindedly put a hand down on the pilot chair just as the ship lurched slightly to its left.

"We've got to go now Wash. Time for you to do what I pay you for." Mal said as though he was talking to a child, slowly and distinctly.

Wash turned wide-eyed to Zoe who had come up beside him, not knowing what to say.

"Can you…"

"Let's go…" he said, cutting her off and turning quickly to sit down.

Mal was beginning to sense the uneasiness between them. Not the uneasiness he'd grown accustomed too, but a new and unnerving one.

"What's going on here?"

Wash was already strapping himself in. Taking a deep breath and rubbing a hand roughly across his face.

"Nothing," Wash answered as the adrenaline began to take over, "just doing my job."

Wash didn't have to look behind him to see it. The look Mal was giving Zoe at that very moment, silently getting her opinion on the matter. Obviously Mal didn't know about the relaxer and it didn't seem to be information Zoe was going to volunteer.

"You might want to grab a seat," Wash said in nearer normal tones, "this isn't going to be pretty."

* * *

Kaylee had escaped. Tired of Jayne's incessant demands she'd sought refuge. Navigating the stairs was impossible for him in his current state, making the bridge the perfect hideout.

Rubbing her brow in a way reminiscent of Mal, she tried to shake it off. Normally, she had patience. Plenty of it. You had to being a mechanic. Things didn't always work the first, second or even third time, so you had to be willing to stick it out. To keep trying. But she seriously thought that if Jayne asked for one more pillow or drink or anything, she was going to turn his own gun on him.

And there was at least twelve hours to go.

Desperate, she checked the clock again.

Yep, at least twelve. They'd only been gone that long, and they figured it'd take at least a full day.

Checking the newly darken sky she looked for Perseis. She hadn't yet caught a glimpse of the crumbling moon and was curious to do so, but without luck. Kaylee did see a few meteorites streaking across the sky, but thought nothing of it. The moon must be on the other side of the ship.

Risking another demand from Jayne, she decided to go out side and take a look. As she left the comm link crackled to life without her noticing.

Kaylee managed to go unnoticed until opening the cargo bay.

"What's up?" Jayne asked, startling her a bit. They'd found him a pair of crutches a few hours earlier, although he'd refused at first to try them. Kaylee was happy to see an hour alone had made him rethink the idea.

"Just wanted to take a look at the sky."

"Why?"

"Because," she said with a slight roll of the eyes, "it's pretty. Never seen a moon or planet falling apart. All this talk made me want to."

"Yeah well," he said turning to go, "don't get lost."

Kaylee didn't answer, just gleefully made her way down the ramp and into the night air.

Night air was the best type of air, she'd always thought. Some how it just seemed cleaner.

Looking up she immediately saw what she'd come to see, but nothing could have prepared her for the sight.

The night sky was alive with light. Meteoroids streaked across and exploded against the surface of the now half moon. Bits of it seemed to be falling onto Circe itself.

There weren't words enough to describe it.

She stood transfixed at the sight, unaware of time, when a voice calling her name suddenly caught her attention.

"Kaylee!" Jayne practically screamed at her from the top of the cargo hold, "Damn it girl, get inside now!"

Struggling to look a way, she came to her senses a bit and ran back up the ramp.

"What is all that?" she asked as Jayne leaned into the wall for balance and began closing the cargo doors. "What…"

"Damn fool was right," Jayne muttered under his breath, unable to stop himself from looking once more as well.

"What? You don't… they have to be…"

Jayne felt a knot in the pit of his stomach, something he hadn't felt for a very long time, at the sound of Kaylee's voice. She was so scared and he didn't know what to say to her. At least, he didn't know the right thing to say to her.

"Get Inara on the wave," he said, looking down on the pretense of adjusting the crutches. "Get her on the wave and find out where she is."

"But what about the Captain?" she asked.

"Just do this first, then we'll worry about that."

She nodded slowly and headed back up towards the bridge.

Her hands trembled as they opened the door and made her way to the console. The lights once only visible from the far side of the ship could now be seen from the bridge as well, making it nearly as bright as day.

Seeing that she'd missed a transmission, she paused momentarily debating whether to listen to it first. She decided against it. Getting Inara on the wave was reassuring. Inara was okay and promised to be back as soon as flying was safe. She couldn't leave port until the all clear was given but she'd leave the very moment she could. Inara didn't about Mal or the others, and Kaylee didn't volunteer the information. Throughout the brief two minute communication, both women's voices were tinged with fear.

"How is she?" Jayne hollered up to her after a few minutes more.

"Fine, I'm coming back down."

Kaylee stood to go, but then remembered the incoming message waiting in the queue. Sitting again, she retrieved and played it back.

A voice she immediately recognized came through the speaker. The words were barely distinguishable through the static, but she knew it well. It was Wash.

"… to Serenity. Please …."

"Shuttle … nity. Please respond."

For a minute Kaylee thought that was all of it, then Wash's voice came back on.

"Kaylee pick up."

Another static filled pause. The mention of her name had brought tears to her eyes.

"Not sure if you're getting ... taken damage. … off of Perseis and headed back .... I don't think we're going ...."

Wash's voice sounded funny to her, even through the static. More distant and almost sad.

"… tanks shot. Left thruster ... coasting into atmo."

A longer pause and then a very audible gasp.

"Life support hit. I'm trying the beacon … nothing's working ..."

Kaylee was already doing mental calculations. Life support hit shouldn't be too big of a problem if they make it back to Circe. The problem was that was sounding like a big if right now.

"Kaylee … I'm trying to land. I'm trying … mountain … X9."

They were obviously loosing the signal.

"How am …"

The transmission was over.


	5. Point of View

**Interference by SLynn **

**Chapter 5: Point of View**

Wash flipped on the comm link to Serenity and hoped someone was listening.

"Shuttle B to Serenity. Please respond."

No reply.

"Shuttle B to Serenity. Please respond," he tried again still without luck.

Something was definitely wrong with the shuttle. Of course they'd barely gotten off of that damn moon in one piece, but it wasn't just that. He thought he heard whistling, or hissing, and neither Zoe nor Mal were talking anymore. He couldn't check on them just yet, there was too much to do.

"Kaylee pick up."

She wasn't there. All he could now was give them as much information as possible and try to land.

"Not sure if you're getting this. We've taken damage. We're off of Perseis and headed back to Circe. I don't think we're going to make it."

They were breaking into the atmosphere and Wash was feverishly trying to plot a course on the autopilot as stars began to swim before his eyes. The whistling sound was louder now and he had a suspicion as to why.

"Fuel tanks shot. Left thruster gone. We're coasting into atmo."

His voice sounded thick to his own ears. He could see the ground now. They were closer. He sucked in as much air as he could in one big gasp.

"Life support hit."

Wash's vision swam with stars once more as he tried to fight off what he knew was happening.

"I'm trying the beacon, but nothing's working anymore."

He made the last switch over and now the shuttle was completely out of his control. He knew the program couldn't really land the shuttle but it was definitely crashing without it so the odds were a bit better this way.

"Kaylee if you get this, I'm trying to land. I'm trying to land past the mountain ridge in X9."

Wash felt his hands slipping from the controls but he had no power left within in him to help it. He found it hard to even speak much anymore. Wash knew he was losing the battle against consciousness.

"How am I supposed…"

* * *

Inara had rejoined them early the next day. Officials were advising an immediate evacuation of the planet. The common opinion was that the rest of Perseis was going to crash into Circe at any moment.

Together the three of them had listened and re-listened to the transmission from Wash a dozen times.

No one knew what to do.

"Play back the part about landing again," Inara asked.

Kaylee queued it up for the fifth time in row. It was the best clue they had about where Mal and the others might be if they'd made it. After hearing the wave the first time she'd tried the scanning for the beacon but got nothing. That hadn't dampened her spirits that they were all still alive though, as Wash had also said very clearly that 'nothing's working'.

"Ready," Kaylee said before pressing it again.

" … I'm trying to land. I'm trying … mountain … X9." Wash's voice said over the speaker.

"And there's no mountain X9 anywhere on this place?" Jayne asked again for the fifth time.

"None," Kaylee said, but not in annoyance.

"And they're not coordinates," Inara said.

"No," Kaylee answered out of habit even though Inara hadn't really asked more then reiterated. "Coordinates have to be at least two numbers. It's just so unlike him. Wash's never given directions that bad before."

She knew her voice sounded irritated, but she didn't mean it to be. She wasn't mad at Wash, she was mad at herself. Obviously he thought she'd know what he meant and obviously he'd also thought she'd have been there at the comm. And she should have been. She wasn't even on the ship when it happened.

Jayne and Inara were both staring at her now. Kaylee was trying hard not to cry. Not to let a single tear fall, because if one got through they all would.

"He did sound odd," Inara said after another moment, realizing Kaylee needed some distraction.

"Yeah," Jayne agreed turning his attention from the mechanic to the companion. "Well it's hard to tell exactly with all that noise."

"Was that just the activity causing all of that interference?" Inara asked.

"No," Kaylee said as something inside her clicked. "He did sound odd and there was a 'shhh'."

"'Shhh' what?" Jayne aside her uncertainly, "You're the only one talking."

"Not 'shush' but 'shhh' like a, like a leak."

Kaylee quickly replayed the whole of it back and sure enough, when Wash was talking you could hear it. It started off low at the beginning of the transmission but by the end of it you could definitely tell it was there. A most audible leak.

"What is it?" Inara asked.

"The hull. They must have taken on damage to the hull. That's why everything was failing."

"Like a whole or something. Do you think they got hit?" Jayne asked.

"No, a hit would have been quick. Bigger. They wouldn't have made it back to Circe."

"But Kaylee, we don't know…"

"No Inara, Wash said they were back into the atmosphere," Kaylee suddenly remembered that strangled gasp she'd heard, "And he couldn't breath well. He thought it was the life support, but it was the leak. They lost air. That's why we never heard the Captain or Zoe on the transmission. They must have passed out."

It didn't make complete sense to her yet, but it was clearer. That's why his voice sounded so funny. That's probably why he left such vague instructions too. He couldn't have been thinking straight. He just couldn't have.

"But if they passed out…" Jayne started to say.

Kaylee nodded in silent agreement, suddenly downcast again.

* * *

Wash awoke to the sound of birds chirping and sunlight on his face. His first thought was that he must have died and his second was that he'd expected the next life to be a lot less painful.

Coming fully to his senses he remembered it all. Well, most of it anyway.

Of course he hadn't been serious when he said he thought that Perseis was going to fall apart with them on it, but life was like that.

A groan from behind him brought Wash back to his senses.

"Wash," he heard Mal grumble.

"Yeah?"

"Did you crash my ship?"

"No," Wash said turning as best he could to get a look behind him, checking Zoe as well who was also awake and staring back at him in disbelief. "I crashed your shuttle."

To his great surprise Mal laughed. Even stranger, Wash joined him. Zoe shook her head at the two of them, but smiled too, as they all undid their safety restraints and began to assess the damage. Fortunately each of them were fine despite a few minor cuts and scrapes, the same could not be said for the shuttle.

"So, what do you think?" Mal asked after some time.

"That she's not flying anytime soon," Wash said seriously. "Left thruster is completely gone, might be on what's left of that moon for all I know. Good news is she's in one piece and with a lot of attention from Kaylee and me if you'll let me near her, she'll be airborne again. But I think the hull breached on reentry and that's why we all blacked out."

"Blacked out?" Mal asked giving him a look.

"Yeah, I'll show you," Wash said not at all thrown by the scrutiny as he walked around the shuttle. "Thruster came off clean like it was suppose to, designed that way, but peeled back some of the exterior. It was a slow leak because by that time we were almost…"

"No, no, no," Mal cut him off, "That I understand. I don't understand the 'we' part of this black out episode you're describing."

"You didn't…"

"No, I did."

"So…" Wash said looking for more information.

"So how did you black out and land this thing?" Mal asked fully exasperated.

"This isn't a landing Mal," Wash said with almost a laugh. "You think I'd do this to any part of Serenity, on purpose? Hell we're lucky to be alive. I was aiming for the other side of this mess and it looks like I hit it dead on. This is forest and trees and who knows what kind of wild life; the other side is almost as flat as a landing strip, would have been much better."

"Let me get this straight. All of this was luck, is that what you're saying? Making it off that moon, landing in one piece, all of us alive, that's luck?"

"Luck, chance, fate, destiny. Take your pick. It's all about point of view."

"So you're not a good pilot, just lucky."

"Today I am. We'll see about tomorrow."

* * *

**A/N: Shorter then normal, I know. Sorry. Thanks for reading and reviewing. I hope you're enjoying it so far! :)**


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